


House of the Dead

by dyzzylyzzy (harlequin421)



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: (basically everyone is dead), Alternate Universe, Angst, Cross Over with Torchwood, Episode: Audio Drama: The House of the Dead, F/M, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, shifting pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-14
Updated: 2013-06-14
Packaged: 2017-12-14 12:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/836770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harlequin421/pseuds/dyzzylyzzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's the last night of the House of the Dead, the most haunted bar in all of the United States, and when an ancient evil tries to escape team Torchwood is there to save the day! Sort of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	House of the Dead

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the radio drama Torchwood episode: The House of the Dead, if you're a fan and have heard it then you know exactly what's gonna happen here. If not, well this spoils A LOT of Torchwood so. Technically you don't have to be knowledgeable with Doctor Who or Torchwood to understand what's going on, but it'll help! If there is something that you don't understand, that I don't explain, please don't be afraid to let me know.

Brendon doesn’t really believe in any of this ghost nonsense, well not really. It was difficult to be friends with Ryan and not believe just a little bit. But Ryan convinced him that they should give the bar a proper send off, and that includes trying to communicate with the spirits of the dead that are obviously haunting his bar.

It’s known as the most haunted bar in all of Vegas—in all of the US if Brendon is being honest--. The name of the bar was the House of the Dead, and if Brendon were less of a skeptic then maybe he’d have asked Ryan to hold the séance years ago, but now that they’re closing down the bar seems like the perfect time to actually do it.

He looks around the bar at the people talking quietly to each other. Pete is sitting all by himself at the table where Ryan had set a crystal ball to add mystique to his act or whatever it was. He can’t seem to find Jon though. Jon is this new tenant at Brendon’s apartment complex, and he flirts with Brendon in the mornings, so Brendon had invited him to come, but it seemed like he wasn’t going to show.

Brendon recognizes almost everyone as people who frequent the bar except for one guy. He’s leaning against the wall on the far side of the room with his head tipped back eyes closed. He’s dressed up in a suit all neat and proper with a pink tie tucked into his waistcoat and everything, but Brendon can sort of see the tattoos covering his hands.

He hears someone clearing their throat beside him and turns, and there is Ryan smiling at him sadly.  Brendon knows part of the reason that Ryan wants to do this is because he’s convinced they’ll see Spencer.

Brendon’s not sure if he wants to see Spencer. It’s just getting to the point where he can wake up in the mornings and not immediately reach out across the bed to the space where Spencer used to be.

“It’s time?” he asks Ryan instead of asking him if he’s sure that he wants to do this.

Ryan nods his head and squeezes his shoulder, “Yeah.”

Brendon nods and raises his voice, “It’s time! Everyone, come over here please! Take your places around Ryan.”

Ryan’s already made his way back to the table, and Pete had moved so that he was sitting next to him.

Brendon doesn’t have to wonder why Pete is acting the way that he is. He knows exactly what Pete’s going through.

“Gather around everyone,” Ryan says placing his hands on the table and smiling that loopy smile. “The dead don’t like to be kept waiting.”

Brendon feels a shudder go through him at that, and he rolls his shoulders a little bit before sighing and making his way over to where Ryan is holding court.

The sooner they get through with this, the sooner he can crawl into his bed and sleep for the next hundred years.

\----//----

Frank doesn’t know why he’s at this bar exactly.

Well, he does know the story about the place.

It’s been standing here for two hundred years, and everyone is convinced that it’s haunted, and if you wish for it hard enough you could actually see the ghost of someone you lost.

Frank doesn’t really believe in that B.S. Aliens sure, bring ‘em on. He can kick an alien’s ass, no problem. But ghosts? That was just impossible.

His eyes shoot open when he hears the owner of the bar calling everyone forward. He has to hold in a snort as he sees the tall waify guy wearing the billion scarves and sitting primly at the table hands on either side of the crystal ball and saying something about the dead not liking being kept waiting.

Frank rolls his eyes and moves closer lifting his hands and pressing his fingers to the button on his headset, “Gerard. Lindsey. Hurry up! It’s starting.”

“Come on closer,” the guy—Ryan, if Frank had heard properly—says and smiles at everyone. “Please everyone join hands.”

Frank manages to find a corner where he can observe and not be forced to actually join in. He’s not the only one so it’s not like it’s conspicuous.

“Okay,” Ryan says sitting up. “Tonight is the last night of the House of the Dead, the most haunted bar in the US.  And everyone here has come looking for someone that they’ve lost. So if there are no questions, I’ll begin.”

He looks around, and his eyes catch Frank’s and for just a second there is this flicker of confusion over his face before he closes his eyes. Frank shakes his head because he felt a cold shiver down his spine.

He really didn’t like this.

No one spoke. It was actually so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

“I summon the dead,” Ryan says then his voice deeper and slower than before. His eyes are closed. Actually everyone’s eyes are closed. They’re all holding hands and believing with all of their might. “I summon the dead,” he repeats even slower. “Will you come to us tonight?”

There is a rustling sound, and Frank jumps a bit, his hand immediately at his ear pressing his headset, “Gerard, something is happening. Where the fuck are you man?”

“Think of your loved ones,” Ryan continues in that low almost melodious voice. “Those who you wish to see again. Feel their spirits reaching out towards you, coming closer and closer. Come gentle ghosts. Come to the house of the dead.”

While he was speaking, Frank had to resist the urge to move closer and closer, he settled on concentrating on looking at the empty chair to the far left of the table, and thinking on what the fuck Gerard could be doing that he wasn’t there yet.

But just when he’d finish speaking, the chair that Frank had been staring at so hard moved and crashed into the wall, without anybody touching it.

It shattered into pieces and everyone gasped, and there were screams. Frank jumped and looked around, what the fuck was that?

“Gentle ghosts?” he hears the owner asking Ryan.

“Brendon, shh,” Ryan snaps and turns back to the others who are looking at him with wide eyes.

“Did you see that?” he hears someone ask.

“Someone’s gonna have to pay for that chair,” Brendon mumbles as he crosses his arms and leans against the bar.

Frank tears his eyes away from them, and turns back to his headset, “Gerard, if you don’t get your ass here in two seconds I am going to kill you.”

Which is a threat that Frank can actually carry out, what with Gerard never being able to die and all of that.

“Peace,” Ryan’s voice rang out, and the people who’d been muttering amongst themselves all quieted down. “Unquiet shade! Come to us!”

There is another crash, and the lights start flickering, and all along the bar glasses start breaking.

“Ryan,” Brendon hisses. “I told you we could have your séance not that you could trash the place!”

Ryan’s smile is manic as he turns to Brendon, “I know! This has never happened before! Isn’t it amazing?”

Brendon looks like he wants to use some words other than amazing, but before he can say anything, Ryan is turning back to the crowd, “Everyone calm down, the ghost means us no harm!”

Then the crystal ball right in the middle of the table levitates, and Frank promptly starts freaking out a little, because ghosts? _Ghosts?!_

“Gerard! Fuck, Lindsey? Where the fuck are you guys? This is kind of getting out of hand.”

Just then the ball falls with a thud against the table and shatters.

There are more screams, and people ducking out of the way, but the pieces of glass are contained in what looks like a force field. If Frank wasn’t watching it, he wouldn’t have believed it.

He’s not sure he believes it now.

Then the pieces of glass start moving, forming shapes.

“What’s it saying?” someone asks, and Frank moves closer trying to make it out.

“It’s spelling out a name!” Ryan says looking far too excited. “Ghost! Tell us! Who is coming?”

He leans over and obscures Frank’s view of the shapes.

“G-E-R…”

And then the lights all go out.

Frank moves back immediately pressing against the wall, because if people start panicking and running about he does not want to get trampled over.

“Everyone calm down!” comes Brendon’s voice. “A fuse must’ve blown.”

“Someone’s coming!” Ryan says suddenly, and there is a scrapping of a chair, and Frank can make out the shadows, and knows that Ryan has just stood up. “Look at the door! I see him coming! It’s a soldier!”

“Captain Gerard Way, actually,” comes Gerard’s voice, and Frank feels the relief uncoil all of the tension in his body.

Gerard is finally here, which means that everything is going to be okay.

\----//----

“You’re all in terrible danger,” Gerard says into the dark room.

He hadn’t really meant to make a dramatic entrance, but he can’t deny that he saw the opportunity and took it. He looks around, and finds the guy whose psychic energy seems to be spiking off the charts. He steps forward to him, opening his mouth to ask him his name.

“Can someone please light the candles?” comes a voice before Gerard can speak.

Several people start lighting matches and flicking lighters, and the room is filled with a soft glowing light, that would almost seem romantic, but not really given the circumstances.

“Captain Way, my name is Ryan Ross,” and well that answers that question. “Do not be afraid friendly ghost. You have come to us from the other side!”

Gerard doesn’t snort because he doesn’t have time to be derisive when he’s trying to save lives. Maybe later he could make a joke about him not being anything like Casper, but right now was not the time.

“From Jersey, actually,” Gerard says instead relishing in the confusion that appears over Ryan’s face.

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ve come to warn you…”Gerard starts, but then stops, because one of the shadows moved forward into the light, and it’s Frank.

Fuck.

“Gerard,” he says and there is a smile twisting on his lips. Gerard’s breath catches, “You’re late.”

“Frank,” Gerard breathes out and steps closer wanting to touch. “Oh, it’s so good to see you.”

Frank looks a bit confused at that, but his smile widens, and his eyes look pleased, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t stop it from happening.”

Before Gerard can say anything or do anything else, like grab Frank and kiss him within an inch of his life, Brendon, who Gerard recognizes from his pictures butts into their conversation, “Wait. So what you’re saying is that you’re not a ghost?”

Gerard turns to him, and to Ryan, because right, there is something that he’s supposed to be doing, and it doesn’t involve touching Frank as much as possible, “Flesh and blood, I promise. Now, listen, we’ve got…”

“Oh,” Ryan says and he deflates and slumps back down in his seat. “How disappointing. I could’ve sworn that I felt a presence in this room.”

“Wait,” Gerard says as Brendon goes to turn too. “I’ve come to warn you guys. You’re in a lot of danger.”

“Otherwise we’d be back home, it’s not like this is how I enjoy spending my Friday nights,” Frank mutters from somewhere to his left.

Gerard tries really hard to ignore him, “The séance has got to stop.”

“We can’t just stop!” Ryan protests. “We’ve only just broken through to the other side!”

“It was a bit scary,” Brendon admits smiling ruefully. “But it’s harmless fun.”

Gerard raises an eyebrow at him, “Um, what’s going on here is neither harmless nor fun. Listen, are you the landlord?”

Brendon raises an eyebrow, “I am. And you are?”

Gerard rolls his eyes, “Can we speak in private for a minute?”

Brendon seems to be thinking this over, but then he nods, “Sure. Come with me. I’ve got a fuse to fix.”

Gerard follows Brendon out through a door and up some stairs and into an attic.

Brendon hands him a flashlight, “Hold that would you?”

Gerard grabs it and turns it on while Brendon starts working with the fuse box.

“Listen,” Gerard starts. “I know this sounds odd, but…”

Brendon turns around and glares at him thoughtfully, “Are you with the brewery?”

“No?” Gerard says confused by the non sequitur.

“You are!” Brendon says and groans. “Fuck, how much did they pay you? Fifty? A hundred?” He turns back around and starts messing with the fuse box. “Unbelievable. They can’t even let us enjoy our last night.”

He pushes the switch, and the lights flicker on, “Let there be light.”

“I’m not from the brewery,” Gerard says firmly.

Brendon turns and looks at him, “Oh so you just happened to turn up and ruin our closing ceremony? Do you even know how long this place has been open?”

“Two hundred years,” Gerard answers quickly.

“Exactly!” Brendon exclaims throwing his hands in the air. “The most haunted bar in all of the United States. Imagine the history in this building.”

“Believe me,” Gerard says faintly. “I am.”

But Brendon is still ranting and not paying attention to him, “And then the brewery changes hands, and all of a sudden this building is worth more as an apartment complex! Can you believe that? Apartments! All we’re trying to do is give the ghosts a little send off. And Ryan may not be capable of paying the bills on time, but he’s the best when it comes to all that paranormal shit.”

“He’s not working alone,” Gerard interrupts loudly because it seems like if Brendon could possibly go on and on and on, and on about the subject.

“Oh,” he says and smiles. “You’re working with Ryan?”

Gerard shakes his head, “No, Ryan is a very gifted psychic, but he’s made contact with something really dangerous. If you go ahead with this séance, everyone here will die. And I won’t be able to save you.”

Brendon sighs, “Just go. You may not believe in it, but the people down there do and I’m not going to ruin that for them.”

“I do believe in it!” Gerard says exasperatedly. “That’s why I can’t let it go on!”

“Just go home,” Brendon reiterates firmly. “I’m asking nicely.”

Gerard raises an eyebrow at that, “Stop the séance. _I’m_ asking nicely.”

Brendon glares, “Fine. Can I have my flashlight back?”

Gerard hands it over gingerly, “Sure.”

Brendon smiles, “Thanks.”

The last thing Gerard hears before Brendon swings and hits him on the side of the head with the flashlight is, “Thanks for the help, asshole.”

\----//----

“Frank! Frank? What’s going on? Can you hear me?”

“Lindsey!” Frank says sitting up and sighing in relief. “Oh, thank God. We couldn’t stop the séance. It was weird. Furniture flying, glasses breaking, lights flickering, the whole nine yards.”

“Oh,” she says, and Frank can hear how amused she is. “You’ve got to be kidding. So that’s why Gerard wanted us there?”

“What?” Frank says feeling confused and relieved all at once, like he usually does when Gerard keeps something from both him and Lindsey and not just from him. “He didn’t tell you either?”

He hears her scoff, “Nope. But that’s Gerard Way for you.”

Frank leans back against the chair and smiles, “Yeah, big surprise. Where are you?”

“Ugh,” she says. “I’m on my way. It’s taking a bit longer than I was expecting.”

“Tell me about it,” Frank mutters. “My GPS told me it would’ve taken me thirty minutes, and I ended up getting stuck for about an hour in traffic that seemed to have come out of nowhere.”

Lindsey laughs, “I shouldn’t be too long. Hey, Frank. Find out what Gerard’s up to. I’m worried.”

“Yeah,” Frank says looking around, and notices that Brendon is back. “Huh, actually, where is Gerard?”

Lindsey doesn’t say anything to that, so Frank stands up from his position by the bar, and walks over to where he’d seen Brendon and Gerard disappear to earlier.

He’d ask Brendon himself, but there was something in his face that made Frank believe that Gerard probably pissed him off. It’s not like that’s surprising at all.

Frank opens the door easily, and heads up the stairs. The creak ominously and Frank wonders if he’s going to be walking into the set of a scary movie. It’s not like if he finds Gerard dead he’s going to cry. Because it’s something that’s happened enough times now that the brief heart attack that Frank experiences every time that he finds Gerard dead is something that he’s familiar with.

So seeing Gerard sprawled out on the floor isn’t really that much of a surprise.

“Gerard!” he says rushing forward.

Gerard moves slowly, groaning and raising his hand up to his head, “Ugh, Frank?”

Frank helps him sit up, “What happened?”

Gerard’s eyes are shut and he looks like he’s in pain. Frank frowns.

“Oh, the landlord knocked me out.”

Frank looks at him incredulously, “Brendon? That tiny dude?”

Gerard opens one eye and glares, “He caught me by surprise.”

Frank snorts, and Gerard moves to stand.

“Here,” Frank says wrapping his hands around his biceps and helping him up. “Let me help.”

He helps him up and then starts dusting off his clothes, running his hands down the lapels of his coat and smiling up at him, “Couldn’t you have pulled out your gun at him?”

Gerard just stares at him, and there is something in his gaze that reminds him of the way Gerard used to look at him after he came back from being with the Doctor. Like if he’d been gone for so long, that it was just a luxury to watch Frank.

Frank wants to ask him what that’s all about, but before he can Gerard clears his throat and pulls back.

“Oh, I left it at home. Tonight is the night for magic, not guns.”

Frank raises an eyebrow at that, “Oh? What exactly is going on here Gerard? I mean, that wasn’t a regular séance. I’m worried.”

“You’re worried?” Gerard says like if it surprises him. “Oh, Frank…” he trails off, and Frank tries to remember that Gerard had just gotten knocked out.

“What’s going on?”

Gerard clears his throat and looks everywhere but at Frank, “You know how we’re stationed here in the US because of the rift in time and space, right?” He doesn’t wait for Frank to nod his head before he’s talking again, “Well, there is a secret hidden deep within the rift. A shadow from the oldest universe of all, Syriath: the Death Feeder. She’s been trapped since before there was such a thing as time.”

“So she’s found a way to escape?” Frank asks trying not to fidget or push his hands into the pockets of his pants.

“Yeah,” Gerard nods and finally looks at Frank. “Right place, right time, comes the right man.”

“Ryan, the psychic,” Frank says trying to fill in the blanks.

Gerard nods, “He’s the bridge between the two worlds. A powerful psychic holding a séance in the most haunted bar in all of the US.”

“The House of the Dead,” Frank says and ignores the urge to shiver as something icy cold slips into the pit of his stomach. “Built on ley lines, inside of an old stone circle, and smack on top of the rift. If anything would work, that’d do it.”

Gerard gives him a weak smile, “The bar is built on a crack in the rift. A point weak enough for Syriath to escape from if someone strong enough reaches out to her. And the ghosts are tempting Ryan to do just that.”

Frank holds up his hand, “Wait, so the ghosts are real?”

Gerard’s eyes turn sad, and he’s looking at Frank with those sad, sad eyes, and Frank just really wants to reach out and wrap his arms around him, “Syriath comes from before time itself, so she can bend it. She’s sending people visions to trap them. All the people here have come to see their loved ones one more time. And Syriath is feeding off that need. She’ll ensnare them, and she’ll devour them. If she reaches this world, she’ll rip it apart using the dead as her weapon.”

Frank reaches out and grabs Gerard’s hands, “How can we defeat her?”

Gerard squeezes his hands, “If we can prevent them from making contact with Syriath, we may be able to save everyone here. If we can’t, well then they’ll be her first victims.”

Frank nods, “We’ve got to stop that séance.”

He moves to head back downstairs but Gerard’s hands stop him, “Wait, there’s one more thing. Syriath, she knows that I’m here. She will use the ghosts of the dead against us.”

Frank turns to look back at Gerard and figures out that that’s what’s making Gerard act so weird. To have lived as long as Gerard has lived and to have lost as many people as Gerard has lost that he may see someone he lost here must be a scary thought.

He opens his mouth to say something, anything, but there is a crash and the sound of glass breaking.

“That came from the bar!”

Both Gerard and Frank run down the stairs and into the bar.

The guy with the tattoos who had been sitting next to Ryan the entire time was standing up and pointing at his arm, “Something touched me! It was so cold. And that smell! I know that smell!”

“The ghosts are drawing near!” Ryan exclaims standing up too. “Come, everyone! Let’s give it another try, shall we?” He opens his arms wide, and tips his head back eyes closed, “We summon the dead.”

“Don’t be scared,” he tells the others as a wind starts blowing through the room. “Our lost ones are reaching out to us. Don’t reject them. Bring them close.”

Frank had been mesmerized, until he saw the look on Gerard’s face. “Everyone stop!” he shouts over the noise in the room.

“Stop this,” Gerard says stepping away from where Frank was and closer to Ryan. “Listen to me!”

But Ryan seems to be lost in his own world, “They’re coming through!”

And then he falls, slumping into his chair like a puppet with its strings cut off.

“Ryan!” Brendon screams stepping forward, but before he gets to close, Ryan sits up, and his eyes are out of focus and he’s looking around.

“The dead are with us,” he whispers in a singsong voice. “Pete?”

The guy with the tattoos looks at him, “Yeah?”

“There’s someone here for you,” Ryan says leaning in close. “Someone who was very, very dear to you.”

“Patrick?” Pete says hopefully. And then he starts crying, “Oh, Patrick! I knew it. That was his aftershave I smelled! I knew I recognized it!”

“You will see him very soon,” Ryan says reaching out and touching Pete’s cheek.

Frank very slowly makes his way over to where Gerard is frozen still watching it all play out.

“Brendon,” Ryan says and this time his voice shakes. “Brendon!”

Brendon is right there by his side, kneeling down next to him, “What is it Ry?”

“Spencer,” he says in a hushed voice. “Spencer’s here.”

Frank can see Brendon’s hands shaking, “Where is he? I want to see him. Spencer!”

Ryan reaches out and touches Brendon’s cheek just like how he touched Pete, “Concentrate, and you will.”

He turns to everyone, his eyes still out of focus, “Everyone concentrate! Think of your loved ones. Reach out to them, and they’ll reach back!”

“This is real isn’t it?” Frank leans over and whispers into Gerard’s ear.

“Yeah,” Gerard says swallowing. “It is.”

“Is there a Frank Iero among us?”

Frank jumps at the mention of his name and turns to look at Ryan, who is looking straight at him.

“That’s me,” he says as though Ryan hadn’t already figured it out.

He smiles at Frank, “I have a message from Jamia.”

Frank freezes, and he feels it when Gerard hand comes up to the small of his back, “What is it?”

Ryan tips his head to the side, “One word, betrayal.”

Frank’s heart starts racing, and he feels the guilt curdle in his stomach.

“That’s enough,” Gerard says and steps forward blocking Frank from view, something which Frank is pathetically grateful for. “You’ve gone too far, Ryan! You don’t know what you’re doing! You have to stop!”

He reaches forward and wraps a hand around Ryan’s shoulder and starts shaking him, “Wake up Ryan! Wake up!”

Ryan startles like if someone dropped him into a vat of cold water, and his eyes focus suddenly, and he frowns looking upset, “The trance is broken.”

“Spencer!” Brendon is saying standing up and looking around.

Pete’s standing and looking too, “Patrick, where are you? I can’t see you!”

“They’re all gone,” Ryan says quietly. “They’ve all gone home.”

Gerard sighs in relief and Frank echoes it.

Brendon whirls around then and his eyes find Gerard, “You! I thought I told you to leave us alone! What did you do that for?”

“It was going too far!” Gerard says, and his voice sounds like if he’s nearing the end of his patience. “You cannot complete the ceremony.”

Brendon is still undeterred and his voice only cracks towards the end, “What gave you the right? They were here!”

Pete is also glaring at Gerard, “They were real!”

“Yeah,” Gerard says like if they’re proving his point, which they kind of are, but Frank is still feeling confused about this whole thing. “Yes, they were. The dead were in this room. Doesn’t that tell you this is wrong?”

“I don’t care,” Pete snaps. “I was about to see my Trick again, and you ruined it!”

“I’m throwing you out!” Brendon states moving forward, but Ryan stands and reaches out and tugs him to a stop.

“Don’t,” he says softly. “Leave this to me.”

He moves forward and his eyes flicker once to Frank before he looks at Gerard, “Come along, Mr. Way. Let’s have a chat.”

Gerard follows him out, and doesn’t look back at Frank once.

\----//----

“Ryan,” Gerard starts once they’re outside. “You’re beguiled. You are offering a lifeline to something evil.”

Ryan crosses his arms and looks at him curiously, “Do you know what a ghost really is, Gerard? It’s not a flickering light, or a creaking floorboard, or even a face pressed up against the window. A ghost is just someone who’s come back to say goodbye.”

Gerard presses his fingers to his temples and wonders how many more times is he going to have to explain this to someone, “No, these aren’t those kinds of ghosts. Syriath is an ancient evil. She does exactly what you do. She toys with the dead.”

Ryan looks insulted, “I don’t toy with the dead! Look what I’ve done! I’ve made everyone here so happy! Why should I stop?”

“She’ll feed off you,” Gerard says flatly. “You’ll all die.”

“I can’t believe that,” Ryan says holding his head up. “The ghosts are kind. Haven’t you ever lost someone you loved, Gerard?”

Gerard closes his eyes and breathes out through his nose, “Yes. I have.”

“Then you know, that people will do just about anything to see their lost loved ones one more time.”

Gerard exhales, “It’s too late isn’t it?”

Ryan shrugs and smiles serenely, “Yes, Syriath was it?”

As Gerard watches he raises his hand up to the door, “I think I’d like to talk to her again. To say thank you.”

Gerard’s hands clench into fists and he heaves out a breath. Well then, it’s a good thing he’s got a plan B.

\----//----

“Hey guys,” Brendon says startling Frank from where he’d been watching the door through where Gerard and Ryan had disappeared to. “Due to the circumstances, I’ve decided to open up the bar again. I’m sure we could all do with a drink.”

Frank steps forward almost immediately, “Yeah? Any chance I could get a cup of coffee?”

Brendon frowns, “Coffee machine’s busted again.” He looks around and rolls his eyes, “Where’s Ian? Don’t tell me he quit again? That’ll be the third time this week!”

He rolls his shoulders and starts walking away, “Well I guess I’m gonna have to change the barrels in the cellar then.”

Frank watches him go, “So, no coffee then.”

“Frank,” comes Lindsey’s staticky voice in his ear.

“Lindsey!” Frank exclaims turning away from everyone. “Listen. Gerard says that there is something evil coming out of the rift.”

“Yeah,” Lindsey says but she sounds distracted. “Then why didn’t he tell us before?”

“Dunno,” Frank shrugs. “I’m at the bar, making sure they don’t start up again, while he talks to the psychic.”

“Frank,” she says a bit hesitantly. “Is Gerard behaving normally?”

Frank frowns, “Well, he’s not himself, not really.  It’s almost like he’s scared or something. How long until you get here?”

“Not too long now,” she says and Frank can hear the smile in her voice. “I’ll be with you as soon as I can. Find out what’s wrong with Gerard.”

“I’ll try,” Frank says sighing. “But I’m not making any promises.”

“And that’s all I’m asking for, babe,” she says before the noises from traffic cut off.

Frank leans his forehead against the bar and breathes out. It’s okay. Lindsey will be here soon, and she’ll whip Gerard into shape.

“Frankie,” a voice says in his ear, so close and so cold, and so familiar.

Frank’s head shoots up and he turns almost falling over, but there’s no one there. He shudders, and the voice whispers in his ear again, “I’m waiting for you Frankie.”

“No,” he whispers to himself. “It can’t be you.”

“Come upstairs,” she suggests, and it sounds like she’s smiling, and Frank can remember how she used to wait underneath the covers of their bed with no clothes on, and would cheekily smile at him when he asked her if she was naked and tell him to come look for himself.

He’s halfway to the door and up the stairs before he’s even got a chance to think about.

\----//----

“Fuck,” Brendon cries out as he hits his hip against something hard, and sharp. He rubs his hip, and groans.

“Where the fuck is that barrel?” he mutters to himself. And then there is a noise, like the sounds of footsteps. He turns around in a slow circle.

“Who’s there?”

“Brendon,” a voice says right behind him. And Brendon turns around his heart in his throat.

“Spencer,” he says his voice cracking, and there he is, standing a few feet away, but entirely Spencer. “You’re really there. I can see you.”

Spencer smiles, “Of course I’m here. I wouldn’t miss your last night.” He moves closer and something shatters. Brendon jumps but Spencer doesn’t even seem to notice. He keeps walking and there is the sound of something else breaking, “Oops. I’ll clean that up in a minute.”

Brendon doesn’t particularly care. He’d be moving closer, but he seems to be glued to the floor, “You look exactly the same.”

Spencer smiles and eyes him up and down, slowly. Brendon flushes.

“And you’ve lost weight,” he says and it sounds disapproving, but Brendon doesn’t care.

“Oh I’ve missed you,” Brendon says blushing.

Spencer smiles and there he is close enough to touch, “Me too. Come here.”

He opens his arms, and Brendon rushes into them, wrapping his own arms around Spencer’s waist tightly and breathing him in. He’s cold, almost freezing, and Brendon yelps a little when his cold hands find the hem of his shirt.

“Your hands are cold,” Brendon whispers into his neck.

Spencer chuckles low and dirty, “You can warm me up.”

“Oh Spence,” Brendon sighs. “You smell exactly the same. This feels nice. Like old times.”

Spencer laughs, “Come on, let’s have a drink.”

Brendon pulls back biting his lip, “I don’t drink anymore.”

Spencer raises his eyebrow, “Oh, that’s a change.”

Brendon tries to ignore the twist of guilt in his stomach. He wants to apologize to him. But Spencer’s shrugging and wrapping him in a hug again, “It’s okay, come on. Let’s have a drink for old time’s sake?”

Brendon nods, and they move, and something glass, and expensive sounding shatters, “Fuck, that keeps happening, sorry.”

Brendon doesn’t care. He leans into Spencer, “It’s okay. All that matters is that you’re here.”

Spencer slips one hand under his shirt and tucks his fingers into the waistband of his jeans, palming his hip. Brendon shivers, “You’re still so cold.”

“That’s because I’m dead,” Spencer whispers matter of factly into Brendon’s hair.

Brendon smiles, and then a strange noise explodes from Spencer. Almost like a deep growl. Brendon pulls away and looks at him confused, “What’s that?”

Spencer’s eyes open, and Brendon can now see that they’re red, not blue. He pulls away and scrambles back and hits the wall immediately. Spencer smiles and his teeth are sharp, “Oh, that means I’m hungry.”

He stalks forward predatory, and Brendon gulps, and shuts his eyes tight. He feels Spencer press up against him cold as ice. “So, so hungry,” he mutters into Brendon’s throat, before he’s biting down.

Brendon’s scream is cut off by the sharp crack of bone breaking.

\----//----

Frank’s hands tremble as he climbs up the last couple of steps.

“Hello?” he calls out, and his voice cracks. He clears it and calls out again, “I’m here. Hello?”

“Hello, Frankie.”

Frank turns and there she is. Jamia. She’s sitting on the floor petting what looks to be a dog, and smiling brightly at him. She’s barefoot, and her toes are painted pink with black smiley faces.

“Oh my god,” he whispers reaching behind him to hold on to the banister of the stairs.

Jamia stands up picking the dog up with her, and grins, eyeing him up and down, “Nice suit, lose a bet?”

Frank doesn’t roll his eyes, “I’m working.”

“Oh I bet,” she says. She lets the dog go, and it disappears from sight. “Come here.”

Frank doesn’t move from his spot, “You’re dead.”

“Yes,” she says. “I am. In spite of all of your promises, I did die.”

Frank feels the guilt punch him in the chest, “I’m sorry.”

“You should be,” she says. “Do you think I liked being turned into one of those things? No I didn’t. And you could’ve ended my misery quickly but you didn’t. You kept me in stasis until your friends found out all about me, and then after they killed me, while you did nothing to stop them; you fall into his arms like if I meant nothing to you. So you should be sorry, for not even waiting until I was buried before falling into his bed.”

“Jamia,” Frank says his voice breaking. He shuts his eyes, and feels the hot wet tears spilling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry. I thought I could save you. And you have to believe that I did everything I could to save you!”

“Oh, Frankie,” she says and steps closer. “I do believe that. I’m not mad at you. I just spent so long wanting to tell you all of that. It feels good to let it out.” She smiles again, “That suit actually looks really nice on you.”

Frank bites his lip, “If you’re not mad, why are you here?”

Jamia frowns, “I was offered the chance to talk to you.”

“Why?”

“Gerard,” she says, and it sounds like a curse. Frank looks down at his feet. “Get him to leave. He’s trying to stop her, and he can’t. She’s coming, and she’s bringing us all with her! Don’t you see? The dead. They’re all coming back! All of your friends, Mikey and Ray and Alicia! And your mom!”

Frank’s head snaps back up, “My mom?”

She moves closer and raises her hand to his face, but he flinches from her touch. She frowns, “Yes, your mom. We’re all coming back to life. Isn’t that great? Tell Gerard, okay? Tell him we’re all coming back, and that he can just turn around and walk out of here with you, and she won’t stop him.”

Frank shakes his head, “We can’t just leave.”

Jamia licks her lips and leans closer, “Wanna know a secret?”

Frank gulps but nods his head slowly. Jamia smiles softly, “Me and you, Frankie. We’re more alike than you think.”

“What do you mean?” Frank whispers.

Jamia smiles sadly, “We’ll both betray the ones we love.”

Frank shakes his head, “No.”

Jamia reaches out again and this time her hand makes contact with Frank’s cheek, “Oh yes we will baby, you’ll see.”

Frank pulls back and closes his eyes, “No!”

When Jamia doesn’t say anything, he opens his eyes, and she’s gone. “Jamia,” he whispers to the empty room.

“Frank!”

Frank whirls towards the stairs and there is Gerard bounding up the last one and smiling when he sees Frank. Frank licks his lips, “Gerard.”

Gerard sighs and moves in closer, “Oh Frankie, I came looking for you.”

“Here I am,” Frank says, and his voice cracks.

“Hey,” Gerard says tucking his fingers beneath Frank’s chin and looking into his eyes. “What happened?”

“I saw Jamia,” Frank whispers blinking rapidly because he doesn’t want to cry again. “It was really her. Oh God. Gerard.”

Gerard gathers him into his arms hugging him tightly, and Frank’s fingers tighten into the material of his rough coat as he buries his head into his shoulder.

“Hey, hey,” Gerard says softly rocking him. “It’s okay. I’m here, okay? I’m here now, and I’m so sorry. I warned you that she’d use the dead against us.”

Frank doesn’t know how long they stay up there wrapped in each other’s arms, but he feels light hearted by the time they separate.

“Come on,” Gerard says smiling when they pull away. “Let’s go stop this thing.”

\----//----

Pete stands by the door leading upstairs. He’d seen Gerard go up several minutes ago, but he doesn’t want to be alone with him.

He wants to tell him to stop this. He needs to stop disrupting Ryan.

Pete has gone so long without seeing Patrick that he doesn’t even know how he’s still hanging on. He just needs this one thing. To know that Patrick is okay, even if he is dead.

That’s all.

And that guy, that Captain Gerard Way is just ruining everything for him.

The door opens, and Pete whirls around and there they are.

“Stop this!” Pete hisses stepping forward.

Gerard looks at him apologetically, “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get through…”

“No,” Pete says standing firmly in their way. “My name is Pete.”

Gerard smiles, “Nice to meet you Pete. I’d love to stay and chat, but we’ve got evil to fight.”

“It’s not evil,” Pete says. “Don’t go into the bar. Just stop butting in!”

“Something terrible is about to happen,” Gerard says stepping forward. “People are going to die. Is that what you want?”

Pete shakes his head, “I don’t know what I want. All I know is that Patrick was in there, and I need him, so please, please, don’t get in the way. She’s bringing him back to me.”

Gerard sets his hands on Pete’s shoulders and squeezes them gently, “You can’t trust the dead okay? Believe me, you can’t. They look real, but they’re not.”

Pete looks up into Gerard’s eyes, “If someone you love came back to you, you’d hold on to them and you’d never let them go, right?”

Pete sees the way Gerard’s eyes shutter, and how the pain hides behind this ice cold stare, “I can’t. I know what I have to do.”

And he brushes past Pete and into the bar. Pete turns his gaze to the guy that had been standing next to Gerard.

“Please, stop him.”

The guy reaches out and squeezes his hand, “I’m so sorry.”

And then he’s walking pass Pete too.

Pete reaches forward blindly and opens the door. He goes into the room, and closes the door behind him. He leans back and looks up the dark stairs into the lights in the attic.

“Oh, Patrick,” he whispers and tries not to cry.

“Pete,” comes the low whisper.

Pete’s eyes snap open, and there standing on the last step close enough that if Pete reaches out he’ll be able to touch him, is his Patrick.

“Patrick?” he says and shivers because it feels like if the air got colder by ten degrees.

Patrick smiles and jumps down the last step bringing him right up into Pete’s space, “Hi.”

Pete sobs, and Patrick comes forward, arms bracketing him, “Shh, I’m here Pete. I’m here. Hold me?”

Pete’s arms wrap around Patrick, and he buries his head into Patrick’s hair and sobs.

“I’m here,” Patrick says again. “I’m here, and I missed you. And I’m so cold.”

A growling sound fills the air, and Pete feels something sharp pinch into his stomach, and he gasps.

The last thing he hears before everything goes black are the words, “And I’m so hungry.”

\----//----

“We call on Syriath, Queen of the Dead,” Ryan is saying as soon as Gerard and Frank enter the room. “Syriath we just want to say thank you for what you’ve shown us, for bringing our loved ones back. Syriath, we’re so grateful. Now come on everyone, join your hands together. Give her a big warm welcome. Don’t be scared. Now Syriath, let us know, is there anything you want? We open our hearts to you…”

“Stop!” Frank hears Gerard scream and is startled out of his reverie. He’d wanted to go and sit next to Ryan.

He shakes his head and steps up next to Gerard, “Please, stop!”

“She is coming!” Ryan is saying ignoring them both. “Syriath is coming! The last gateway opens!”

“No,” Gerard breathes. Frank looks at him because it sounds so defeated. He reaches out and touches his arm, and waits until Gerard turns to look at him, “It’s all my fault. If you hadn’t come looking for me, none of this would’ve happened.”

Gerard gives him a strange look, “You don’t even know the half of it.”

And that confuses the fuck out of Frank, because what is he even talking about, why is he acting so fucking weird. He opens his mouth to ask, but then the wind starts whipping through the room again, and the lights are flickering, and the chairs are moving.

Ryan is speaking in joyous tones, “She’s here, in this room. And she’s brought our loved ones with her. They are here! Soon you’ll be able to see them, touch them…”

He trails off, and his head cocks to the side, “Spencer? Is that you? Where are you? Where’s Brendon?”

Gerard steps forward then, “Please, Ryan!”

Ryan’s head snaps to the side with an audible crack, and Frank feels dread pull in the pit of his stomach.

Ryan’s eyes open and they’re white and clouded over, “I’m here! Poised on the threshold. Let. Me. In.”

“What’s happening to him?” Frank leans into Gerard and whispers.

“Do not be afraid,” Ryan assures them. “I speak through this man. I bring you a warning. There is someone here who means to do you all great harm.”

“I don’t like this,” Frank says stepping closer to Gerard wanting to wrap his hand around the steady beat of Gerard’s pulse.

“He is not who he appears to be,” Syriath, talking through Ryan continues. “You must not trust him. His name is Gerard.”

Frank flinches, and moves away from Gerard.

“No,” he says and looks at Frank and then back at Syriath. “No it’s okay. Stay back! Listen to me. You must not trust _her_!”

He kind of sounds like a crazy person. Frank reaches up to his headset, and pushes the button, “Lindsey, where the fuck are you?”

“I’m almost there,” she says immediately. “You kind of left the line open, and I heard that last bit. Was I hearing that right?”

Frank nods his head and steps a bit further away from Gerard, “Yeah, Syriath just warned us about Gerard.”

“I knew something wasn’t right,” Lindsey mutters almost to herself. “Don’t trust him, Frank.”

Frank licks his lips, “Something’s wrong with him isn’t it, Linds?”

Lindsey doesn’t say anything so Frank turns to Gerard who is looking around, “Gerard!”

Gerard’s gaze snap back to him.

“Is this true? Is what she said true?”

Gerard looks like he’s pleading with him, “What, she said, what Syriath says is correct.”

“Gerard?” Frank asks confused, because while he knows that Gerard was kind of acting weird, he wasn’t a murderer. Well, a murderer of innocent people.

“See?” Syriath says gleefully.

“I came here to stop you Syriath,” Gerard says turning from Frank to face Ryan. “And I will.”

Ryan smiles, “And how will you stop me, Gerard?”

Gerard pulls a box out of his coat pocket, “What’s inside of this box will destroy you.”

“Oh my God,” Frank breathes, because he’s seen boxes like that before, and they’re more likely than not bombs.

“I told you,” Syriath says twisting Ryan’s body around so that he’s looking at everyone else, who’d been frozen watching the exchange. “He wants to kill you all.”

“What is it, Frank?” he hears Lindsey hissing through his ear. “Has Gerard finally cracked?”

Frank sighs, “I don’t know. I’m pretty sure he has a bomb. Fuck, Linds, I wish you were here.”

“I’ll be there in a few seconds,” she soothes him. “I promise.”

Frank takes a deep fortifying breath from that and turns to Gerard.

“Now, Gee, you don’t want to do this.”

Gerard turns to him, and his eyes are wide and sad, but he looks determined, “I have to, Frankie.”

Frank shakes his head, “At least, let everybody go.”

They lock eyes and Gerard nods easily, “Sure, everyone, you go free. See me? Standing here? With my box. Not blowing anyone up? Off you go.”

People scatter, and Frank is tempted to join them, but he takes another deep fortifying breath, and stays his ground. If Gerard is going down, well then, Frank will just have to follow him.

\----//----

“I’ll stay,” Ryan says as people leave. Gerard isn’t paying attention to him. His eyes are locked on Frank.

“Just us now,” Ryan says right next to him. Gerard flinches back glaring at him and Ryan cackles.

“Gerard,” Frank says sharply. Gerard looks back at him, “Give me the box, please.”

Gerard tilts his head and regards Frank curiously, “Tell me, Frankie. Don’t you trust me?”

Frank purses his mouth, “Not so much right now, no.”

Gerard smiles at him, “I’ve always trusted you.” He tosses the box at him, “Catch.”

Frank scrambles for it, and once he’s got it in his hand, his other hand is up by his headset, “Oh my God, Lindsey! I’m holding the bomb. I’ve got the bomb! Now what do I do? Lindsey?”

Gerard bites his lip, “You talking to Lindsey?”

Frank nods gulping, “Yeah, she’s held up in traffic. God only knows when she’s gonna fucking get here to grind your bones to dust for putting me in danger.”

Gerard swallows hard so that he doesn’t cry and he says carefully, “Frankie, look at your headset.”

Frank looks at him confused, and he reaches up to pull the headset away from his ear, but then he tilts his head to the side as if he’s listening to something.

“Frank,” Gerard says stepping closer. “Your headset isn’t even turned on.”

Frank’s eyes find his, “So whose voice are you hearing?”

Gerard hears it this time when Lindsey’s teeny voice sounds from the speaker in Frank’s ear, “Don’t listen to him!”

Frank doesn’t move his horrified eyes away from Gerard’s, “You’re not Lindsey.”

Gerard sees him flinch, and he rips his headset away from his ear and tosses it aside.

Gerard resists the urge to go over there and hold him in his arms, “It was never Lindsey.”

Frank looks so lost and helpless, “But she’s been talking to me the whole time, telling me what to do.”

Gerard shakes his head, “She was manipulating us both.”

Frank steps forward almost unconsciously, “She told me not to trust you. And I believed her. I’m sorry.”

Gerard wants to tell him that it’s okay, but Ryan is speaking before he can, “You are in the House of the Dead. Nothing is what it appears to be. I am so hungry. This man can provide me with one more service.”

And then Ryan is falling down again. This time he crumples to the floor like if his legs were cheap card table legs. He groans clutching his head, and opens his eyes, which are clear and dark, and scared, “Oh, I’m free. But I get it now, what you were trying to warn me about. Fuck, Gerard. The gateway is open, isn’t it?”

Gerard nods his head slowly, “Yeah.”

Ryan stands up slowly, and Gerard reaches out to steady him, but Ryan shakes his head, “I’m so sorry. The sad thing is we all came here looking for someone. And we found them.”

A voice calls out now singing, “Ryan.”

Ryan bites his lip and sniffs, “That’s Spencer.”

“Ryan,” Gerard says moving closer.

“He’s calling out for me. He’s hungry. I can tell. I must go to him.”

Gerard reaches out and grabs Ryan’s arm, “Don’t.”

Ryan smiles sadly at him, “But I have to. He’s the only family I had left. And I don’t really have much of a choice now do I?”

Gerard shakes his head, “Don’t do this.”

“I’ve wanted to see him again for such a long time,” Ryan breathes pulling away from Gerard with no trouble and turning. He continues muttering to himself until suddenly, he disappears.

“He’s gone,” Frank says. “Why did he go?”

Gerard closes his eyes, and then turns to Frank.

Frank hasn’t moved from his spot about four feet away. Gerard wants to grab him and activate the device and just be done with it all. Dying in Frank’s arms, best way to go.

“It was too late to save him,” he says instead. “He couldn’t help himself. Syriath uses the dead against us. We can’t say no to them.”

Frank huffs out a breath, “Yeah, well I can. We’ve got to stop this.”

Gerard leans against the edge of the table, “The House of the Dead is falling into the rift. We don’t have that long to go.”

Frank nods his head and then holds out the box, “Um, what is this exactly? Because it looks like one of your homemade bombs.”

Gerard rolls his eyes, “Open it.”

Frank does, and Gerard watches as his eyebrows shoot up his forehead, “It’s just pebbles, and coal.”

Gerard nods and takes the box away from him lifting each item as he names them, “Rocks from the hills, coal from the cellar, and a tiny detonator. Just enough to make a lot of dust.”

Frank looks at him, “Dust?”

Gerard nods, “The United States is just a giant battery of stored rift energy. The government thinks it’s radon, but there is something far richer stored into these stones. It’s harmless, unless you release it as one world falls into another.”

Frank nods slowly, and Gerard can see that he’s starting to get it, “That’s how you’re going to destroy Syriath.”

Gerard leans back, setting the box aside and resting his hands on the table, “The moment she reaches this world, I’ll detonate it. It’ll wipe out Syriath and seal the rift forever.”

Frank looks at him confused, “Seal the rift?”

Gerard shrugs, “It’s time has come.”

“Hello boys, hope I’m not interrupting.”

Gerard stands up immediately and looks at Jamia who’s standing there. She doesn’t look like how he remembers her, with her half cyberman body. She looks exactly like the kind of girl that Frank would fall in love with and marry.

“Not now Jamia,” Frank says a bit impatiently.

“Can’t I just say hello to your friend?” Jamia says looking at Frank before turning her gaze back to Gerard. “You must be Gerard! I’ve heard so much about you. But not from Frankie.”

Gerard rolls his eyes, “I wouldn’t trust Syriath.”

Jamia laughs, “Not from her either. No, I’ve heard about you from all those people you’ve sent to the land of the dead. All those people you’ve killed.”

“That’s enough,” Gerard says taking a step forward.

Jamia smiles sweetly, “There are a lot of people who just can’t wait to see you again, Captain. But I’m not here to talk about that. I’m here for Frankie.”

“Really?” Frank says moving so that he’s standing shoulder to shoulder with Gerard, a symbol of solidarity.

“Frank,” she says seriously the smile falling from her lips. “Listen to me, okay. Throw that box away.”

Frank shakes his head, “No, it’s the world’s last chance.”

Jamia shakes her head and steps forward, “No, you’ve got it all wrong! It’s the key to the land of the dead! You’ll seal us away forever. Is that what you want? To never see me again, to never see your mom again?”

Frank’s shaking next to Gerard, and Gerard has to clench his fists not to reach out and touch him.

“Don’t,” he chokes out. “I’m sorry. But we can’t let that creature escape.”

“Whatever the price,” Gerard says wrapping his fingers around Frank’s wrist.

Jamia turns to him and her smile is sharp, “Really now, Gerard? What if I told you that you can take Frank and leave? Just turn right around and walk away.”

“He won’t, Jamia,” Frank snaps.

Gerard is frozen however. He wants that so badly, wants to grab Frank and take him away from here, screw the end of the world if it’ll mean that he can have Frank back in his arms again.

“That’s your problem, Frankie,” Jamia is saying. “You always think you know best, but you don’t, and anyway, I wasn’t asking you. I was asking Gerard.”

Gerard looks at her, and sees that she’s got him pinned down, “Now, what do you think?”

Gerard hesitates before asking, “Just turn around and walk out of here?”

Frank tugs his wrist out of Gerard’s grip, “Gerard! We can’t!”

Jamia sighs, “Frankie, aren’t you listening? Pay attention. I’ve already told you.”

Frank turns to her, “I’m sorry, Jamia. But you’re not real. You’re a ghost. Why should I believe a word you say?”

Gerard’s heart clenches, and Jamia smiles sadly at him, “I could never give you what you wanted. But I can give Gerard something really special, can’t I Gerard?”

Gerard gulps, “Jamia, I’m sorry. You should be proud of Frank. There is no one I would rather have by my side when I defeat Syriath.”

Frank’s fingers hook in between his, “Thanks Gee.”

Jamia’s smile is watery, “Our boy is quite special isn’t he?” She sighs and shrugs, “I won’t take up any more of your precious time. She will win.”

Jamia turns but then turns back around and looks at Gerard speculatively, “You knew who you’d find if you came to the House of the Dead, didn’t you?”

Gerard bites down on his lip, “Yeah, just go.”

Jamia shakes her head, her eyes bright with tears she won’t be able to shed, “I can’t believe that you’re just going to let him die. Again.”

Gerard feels the air rush out of him, and Frank’s fingers freeze in his grasp.

“Goodbye Frankie,” she whispers, and then she’s gone, just like a wisp of smoke in the air.

They stay silent for a few minutes before Frank’s shaking voice sounds out, “Gerard. Who’s dead? Who did she mean?”

Gerard turns to look at Frank, and Frank looks at him, and Gerard can tell that he suspects, suspects and wants Gerard to tell him that it’s not true.

Gerard takes a deep breath and threads their fingers together firmly, “The person I knew I’d find if I came here, to the last night of the House of the Dead. Frank Iero.”

Frank tugs his hand away from him, “What?”

Gerard licks his lips moving closer, but Frank moves back shaking his head. Gerard looks at him imploringly, “Frank, six months ago you died in my arms. You’re a ghost.”

Frank shakes his head vehemently, “No.”

“I came looking for you,” Gerard continues trying to get him to understand. “I couldn’t resist it.”

Frank’s eyes are bright with unshed tears, “I’m dead?”

Gerard nods, “You were waiting for me when I walked in. Frank Iero, never late.”

Frank shakes his head again, “But I feel…real! I’m not a ghost! I had oatmeal this morning for breakfast…didn’t I? Gerard? I can’t remember!”

Gerard wants to hug him, but Frank looks like if one touch would shatter him into a million pieces, and Gerard kind of fears that that might be literal.

“I didn’t think you’d be so real,” he admits. “I—I’d hoped for less.”

Frank snorts derisively, “Thanks.”

“No,” Gerard says moving forward. “You don’t understand. I thought it would just look like you. I could’ve coped with that. I didn’t dream it would actually be you. Syriath used my grief and she reached into time, she recreated you, Frank, and I—fuck, I can’t bear to look at you.”

“ _You can’t_ —Gerard!”

Gerard steps forward and reaches out to him, “Sorry, Frankie. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t touch me!” Frank yells moving back and hitting the edge of the bar, “Don’t!”

Gerard raises his arms in the air in surrender, “Okay.”

Frank swallows and looks everywhere but at Gerard and when his eyes do catch Gerard he twists his face in pain. He licks his lips, “So, how did I die?”

Gerard lets his hands fall down to his sides furrowing his brow, “It was all over so quickly—“

Frank cuts him off, “That’s not an answer.”

They both stay quiet for a while, and then Frank asks the one question Gerard never wanted to hear, “Was it your fault?”

Gerard wants to shake his head no, but he can’t, “You were one of the first victims of an alien plague. You were so brave. You died saving the world.”

Frank glares at him, “Well, you’d think I would remember that. But I don’t.” He looks away from Gerard and seems to be collecting himself, “Did I get a funeral?”

Gerard looks away, “I don’t know. I wasn’t there.”

He can feel Frank’s gaze on him like a brand, “What?”

Gerard can’t look at him, “I had to leave. I am sorry.”

Frank steps forward then, “You couldn’t leave me rest in peace?”

He pushes Gerard back, “You’ve done this to me! Dragged me back just to say goodbye!” He pushes again, and Gerard lets him, not fighting back, “This was never about closing the fucking rift, destroying that fucking creature, or even your motherfucking stones! It’s not even about me.”

Gerard looks at him then, and Frank’s crying, “This is all about you Gerard.”

Gerard shakes his head, “This isn’t how I planned this.”

“What were you hoping for?” Frank demands. “That I would say a few nice words, that I’d be grateful?”

“I just wanted to see you one more time!” Gerard yells back. “That’s all! It’s why I came here!”

Frank snorts, “Well that’s just awesome, Gerard.”

“Frank!” Gerard says again stepping forward until they’re breathing each other’s air. “All the people I’ve lost, don’t you understand? The only one I wanted to see was you!”

Frank takes one step back shaking his head, “Thanks. At least you didn’t forget me.”

Gerard almost growls in frustration, “How could I?! I may be immortal, but I never forget. I lose everyone, but I don’t forget any of you. I work so hard to remember.”

Frank looks at him in disgust, and Gerard recoils from that, “You make it sound like charity work.”

“Don’t say that!” Gerard snaps. “Never say that!”

Frank just shakes his head closing his eyes, “Gerard. I didn’t think the last thing I would ever say to you would be this…just go away. Please.”

Gerard shakes his head and his eyes are stinging with tears, “I had to see you again.”

Frank looks at him and he looks like he’s ready to scream for Gerard to get the fuck out, but Gerard has to get this out.

“You have no idea what it felt like coming back to life and knowing the world was empty because you were gone. No matter how many times I die, I always wake up alone.”

Frank shakes his head, “I didn’t ask to come back!”

“Neither did I!” Gerard almost screams back.

Just then, the ground starts rattling, and Gerard looks at the floorboards under his feet and sees light shining through the cracks.

“You and me, Frank Iero, together again at the end. How it should be. In a few seconds, Syriath will rise. And I’ll trigger the device, destroying her and sealing the rift forever.”

Frank looks at him for a few seconds before he says, “You’re not planning on coming back, are you?”

Gerard closes his eyes and shakes his head, “No, it’ll be a pretty big bang.”

Frank steps closer almost involuntarily, “But you can’t die!”

Gerard shrugs, “Next best thing! Eternal oblivion, lost in the space between worlds forever. And come on! It’s quite a way to go. I think I’ve lived long enough.”

He smiles at Frank, “I’ve seen you once more. What else is there?”

Frank just keeps watching him, and his sharp hazel eyes are calculating, and then they soften, and he smiles softly and reaches out and grabs one of Gerard’s hands twisting their fingers together, “Well, we could just go.”

Gerard stops breathing, “What?”

Frank leans in close and rises on his toes and presses a soft kiss to Gerard’s mouth. Gerard’s eyes flutter close, “You heard Jamia. We can both leave, together.”

Gerard’s eyes open, and Frank’s so close, he just wants to kiss him again, but there is something that he’s supposed to be doing, “You’re kidding right?”

Frank shakes his head and sinks back down, “Why not try it? The rift, ancient evil, magic pebbles…just for once, let someone else deal with it.”

Gerard laughs nervously, “Can we do that?”

Frank shrugs and squeezes his hands, “I’m real, aren’t I?”

Gerard frowns, “It won’t work! We’ll cross that door and be in the real world! What if you just vanish?”

Frank gives him a mock stern look, “That’s no reason to not try. Seems a shame you know, to get me back only to lose me again. Seems like you didn’t think this all through.”

Gerard smiles and leans down and kisses him. Frank’s fingers spasm in his grip and he tips his head back opening his mouth and letting him in. Gerard keeps the kiss light and teasing, and pulls away, “You’re right. Syriath, the last remnant of a dead universe, she’s not so special.”

He tips forward and leans their foreheads together, “But there’s only one Frank Iero.”

Frank grins, “And there’s only ever been on Captain Gerard Way.”

Gerard laughs, “Ah screw it! It’s worth a try!”

He looks at the box he’d left on top of the table, “Let’s leave the device here for Syriath.”

They run together towards the door, dodging pieces of falling rooftop, and trying not to let the vibrations of the ground tip them over.

“This whole place is falling into the rift,” Frank cries out while they run.

“We’d better go now!”

They reach the door, and Frank stops them tugging his hand out of Gerard’s grasp, “Cross that doorway and there’s no coming back.”

Gerard grins at him, “Why would I want to? I got you back, Frankie. Let’s do this! Be brave!”

Frank laughs and it almost sounds like a sob, “Always.”

Gerard grins and walks through the doorway ahead of him jumping on to the dirt and kicking up some dust, “Welcome to the land of the living, Frank Iero! Has it worked? Are you real again?”

When there is no answer, Gerard turns around, and Frank isn’t right behind him. He’s standing in the doorway to the bar looking devastated, “Frank. Frankie?”

Frank shakes his head, “I’m not coming.”

Gerard steps forward, “Frank, no! Come on! There is no time!”

Frank just smiles sadly at him, “No, Gee. You know I can’t. My place is here, in the House of the Dead, with your device. Saving the world.”

Gerard tries to reach him and tug him outside by force, but something is stopping him from getting too close, “Don’t do this!”

Frank’s leaning against the door, and he’s got the box in his hands, “Sorry, Gee. But someone’s got to destroy the rift. Like you said! Quite a way to go!”

Gerard starts crying then, “No, not like this! Don’t leave me like this, please!”

“I’ve got to go!” Frank screams out like he’s in pain, and his fingers are clutching the box so hard his knuckles are white.

“Frank, no!” Gerard cries out. “Wait! I never said it properly before!”

Frank is shaking his head, “It doesn’t need saying.”

“Yes it does!” Gerard sobs. “Frank Iero, I love you.”

“And I love you too, Gee,” Frank replies softly.

Gerard wipes his face with his hands wanting to say something else.

“Alright then,” Frank says, and he’s grinning maniacally, and his cheeks are flushed, and the wind is whipping his hair around, and his suit looks impeccable as always. He looks like the most beautiful thing Gerard has ever seen. “You better run fast Gee. This is going to blow.”

Gerard nods his head, and wishes he could kiss him again, before he’s turning on his heel and running away.

“Goodbye, Gerard!” is the last thing he hears before the explosion happens and covers everything within a mile radius in dust.

Gerard gets up from where he’d thrown himself on the floor, and stands up slowly. He starts coughing because of the dust that’s everywhere, but once it starts settling, he can tell that the House of the Dead is no longer there.

He doesn’t know how long he stands there looking at the empty space but he’s brought back to himself by a voice close to his ear. He turns and there is this guy with a beard and a lazy smile wearing flipflops, “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

Gerard blinks, “Sorry.”

The guy grins, “I’m looking for the ghosts.”

Gerard blinks again, “What?”

The guy is still grinning, “At the House of the Dead? Most haunted bar in the US, you know? They were holding a séance tonight. I hope I’m not too late, though I probably am.”

Gerard looks back over to the spot where the House of the Dead stood, “It’s closed.”

The guy’s grin falters, “Closed?”

“You missed the ghosts,” Gerard snaps and turns. “The House of the Dead is gone.”

“But,” the guy stammers. “It’s on my GPS. I know it’s around here somewhere.”

He keeps talking but Gerard can’t hear him. He keeps walking until he gets up the small hill that led right towards the bar. He turns, and sees the crater where the House of the Dead once stood.

He looks at it, and then closes his eyes fingers finding the teleportation sequence on his communicator with ease, “Goodbye, Frank.”

And then he’s gone.


End file.
